The Mountain West Conference will have nine football-playing members for the 2026 season. Northern Illinois was officially introduced as the latest member of the conference on Tuesday. The Huskies compete in the Mid-American Conference and are still considering options for all non-football sports,

The Mountain West Conference has announced the addition of Northern Illinois in football after the school's board of trustees approved the move on Tuesday. Northern Illinois, which will begin competing in the conference in 2026,

All of the changes we’re seeing in college football from conference realignments to the transfer portal and NIL has forced Northern Illinois University to make a move to keep up or to stay a step ahead.